Garden of the Generalife in Granada

In his article in the Art at JAMA Cole presents the work of Théo van Rysselberghe who was born in Ghent and studied at the city’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts.  Van Rysselberghe was a frequent visitor to Spain and North Africa, and the Mediterranean region at large. In the course of his career as an artist, he was influenced by Paul Signac, Georges Seurat, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec among others.  In his painting of the Garden of the Generalife in Granada, he demonstrates how visual perception changes when an observer moves from the shade into bright sunlight.  The color and symmetry of the garden draw one’s attention, but on a hot summer day, lingering in the shade is so enjoyable as all people who live in hot climates know.

The estates and gardens at Generalife were built in the 14^th century and it was a favorite retreat of the Emirs of the Alhambra who stayed there when they in need of quiet time to reflect on state and personal issues. Its arcades enclosed formal gardens with fountains and reflecting pools, and the songs of birds such as nightingales were heard in its shady alcoves.

According to legend, a prince was raised in the comfort and seclusion of the Generalife to prevent him from falling in love until he reached a suitable age.  One day he rescued a dove from a hawk, and in return the dove told him of a princess in a secret garden surrounded by high walls. Soon the prince was off to find her, the implication being that a life of ease and beauty is no substitute for love.

JAMA. 2015;314(1):10-11

Courtesy of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (https://www.famsf.org/), San Francisco, California; gift of B. Gerald Cantor, 1969